Syringes have been classified into several general types. The first type is assembled and placed in sterile packaging which can be shipped with a vial or ampoule of a drug or other injectable solution. The vial or ampoule is generally made of glass or other clear material that does not interfere with the stability of the drug during prolonged storage. The syringe is filled with the drug or other solution at the point of use and injected into the patient. Another type of syringe is packaged with a vial filled with a powdered or lyophilized drug which is dissolved in water or other suitable solvent prior to charging into the syringe.
These syringes have the disadvantage of increasing the time and difficulty of filling the syringe at the point of use with increased possibility of contamination of the syringe and/or drug solution. There is a further risk of glass particles from the ampoules contaminating the drug solution when the ampoules are opened.
Several of these disadvantages of syringes are overcome by providing prefilled syringes which can be filled with a suitable drug solution prior to use. Prefilled syringes as the term is known in the art are syringes that are filled by the drug manufacturer and shipped to the health care provider ready for use. The prefilled syringes have the advantage of convenience and ease of application with reduced risk of contamination of the drug solution. A difficulty in producing prefilled syringes, if they are made of plastic rather than glass, is selecting suitable materials that maintain their clarity for extended periods of time and do not contaminate or react with the drug solution.
Syringes and other medical appliances are generally produced and packaged in clean rooms to maintain proper cleanliness levels. The clean rooms are equipped with extensive filter assemblies and air control systems to remove particulates and pyrogens from the air in the room and to prevent particulates and pyrogens from entering the room. The operators and other personnel in the clean room are required to wear appropriate protective garments to reduce contamination of the air and the medical appliances being manufactured or assembled. As people and equipment enter and leave the clean room the risk of contamination and introduction of foreign particulates and pyrogens increases.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need in the industry for an improved system for manufacturing and assembling clean and sterile medical devices, as well as such filling devices, without the complexity and expense associated with clean rooms.